La Collera Di Dio (Uncut Version) (1972)

aka: The Wrath Of God

Irish adventurer Emmett Keogh (Ken Hutchison) finds himself partnered with a hard-drinking priest named Van Horne (Robert Mitchum) in revolutionary Central America. Tricked into delivering guns by smuggler/con man Jennings (Victor Buono), the three end up joining forces against despot Tomas de la Plata (Frank Langella), who treats his subjects ruthlessly and who has a special hatred for priests. Van Horne, who seems to be a priest in costume only, decides to stand up to de la Plata and lead a revolt against him. Also stars Rita Hayworth. Also with John Colicos.

This film came from an uncut widescreen Italian import print in very nice picture quality.

John Colicos guest-starred as the Klingon Kor in the original Star Trek TV series episode “Errand Of Mercy.” He also starred in the TV series Battlestar Galactica as Count Baltar.

This was Rita Hayworth’s last completed film. She had difficulty remembering her lines. The crew believed it was because of alcohol abuse, but only later did they realize they were seeing the early stages of her Alzheimer’s condition. Fittingly, it was one of the few times after becoming a star that she played her actual Spanish heritage.

Production of this film stopped on December 23rd, 1971, after Ken Hutchison had an accident in his hotel room where he thrust his hand through a pane of glass. After debate whether to replace him and re-shoot, he recovered sufficiently by mid-January to continue.

Frank Langella couldn’t ride a horse and was the object of much scorn from the wranglers. In his first rehearsal with Robert Mitchum, he shouted his line “Priest!” Mitchum, dressed in a stylish white suit and smoking a Gitane, was supposed to say “I am here, Thomas De La Plata.” Instead, to test him, Mitchum said “I am here, motherfucker.”

According to the film’s review in the September 6th, 1972 edition of the Los Angeles Times, the American Humane Association alleged that the horses used in this film were abused.